Helen Jane Thurman

1933 - 2016

Helen Jane (Dahl) Thurman passed away Tuesday morning, May 31, 2016 in her home in Ochelata, OK, at the age of 83.
Funeral services for Mrs. Thurman will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday June 4, 2016 at the Bible Holiness Church in Ochelata, with Rev. Jerry Schenck pastor of the church officiating. Visitation with the Family to be held on Friday evening June 3rd, from 6 to 8:00 P.M. at the Church. Interment will be in the Ochelata Cemetery under the direction of the Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory.
Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the Ochelata Youth Camp c/o the Bible Holiness Church 201 S. West Street Ochelata, OK. 74051.
She was born on February 26, 1933 in Rogers, Arkansas, to Floyd and Jewell Rich as the fifth of seven children. After her mother's death, she lived at the Door of Hope Orphanage for a few years before she and was adopted at age 10 by William and Tisha Dahl of Ochelata, gaining 2 new siblings.
She graduated from Ochelata High School in 1950. She then attended college at Central Christian College in Bartlesville, OK.
On September 3, 1954, she was united in marriage to Donald E. Thurman. To this union were born 3 children, Donald E. Thurman II, Tony Wayne Thurman, and Pamela Jane (Thurman) Schaper. They blessed her with 8 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, who were the joy of her life.
She worked for TRW Reda Pump for 22 years from 1975 until her retirement in 1998. She was a member of the Ochelata Bible Holiness Church, where she attended for 73 years.
She loved children. She taught Sunday School for over 70 years and was still helping with her class a week before she passed away. She taught Vacation Bible School and planned the church Christmas program for many years and helped with Ochelata Youth Camp for 33 years, where she was affectionately known as the snack shack lady. She hosted Sunday family dinners at her home until very recently and still brought a couple of dishes every week when she was no longer able to serve as hostess. She lovingly sewed many baby outfits, wedding gowns, and quilts for her friends and family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Floyd and Jewell Rich and William and Tisha Dahl, and 5 siblings, Bill Rich, JC Rich, Margaret Hull, Lee Dahl Helen Underwood.
She leaves to mourn two brothers, Charles Castleman of Ochelata, and Dale Rich and wife Belva of Edmond, OK, one sister, Reba Caddy of Denver, CO, sister-in-law Jean Rich of Council Bluffs, lA, three children, Donald Thurman and wife Stacey of Pawnee, OK, Tony Thurman and wife Sheryl of Bucyrus, KS, and Pamela Schaper and husband Quentin of Ochelata, OK, 8 grandchildren, Rachel Street, Justin Schaper, Sarah Berry, Jessica Baber, Samantha Sequichie, Daniel Thurman, Benjamin Thurman, and Madelyn Thurman, and 12 great grandchildren.
Friends who wish may sign the online guest book and leave condolences at www.stumpff.org.